Uranium Enrichment and Other Technical Problems Relating to Nuclear Weapons Proliferation

This paper describes the technologies needed for producing nuclear weapons, giving particular attention to those used in electromagnetic separation and laser uranium-235 enrichment.  The complexity of the technologies makes it clear that developing countries, to various degrees, need assistance from the developed world in order to build nuclear weapons.  Complete restriction of assistance could prevent the spread of these weapons.  Unfortunately, knowledge of the technology is already so widespread that preventing further spread is virtually impossible in the long run.  In practice, imposing rigorous control over the availability of key components of all of the possible technologies may delay access to nuclear weapons by the less-developed world for many years.  All of the recommendations in this discussion may be overtaken by the chaotic situation in the former Soviet Union--rumors abound that its nuclear engineers, technology, weapons material, and the weapons themselves are potentially for sale.  A better method of preventing proliferation is needed, and some of the proposals for achieving improvements are discussed in this paper.